Best Supporting Os-Cars - Auto Trader UK - News and Reviews Hub


Best Supporting Os-Cars

Best Supporting Os-Cars - News image

22 February 2007

It’s Oscar time. Sunday sees Hollywood’s great and good descend on the red carpet for the 79th Academy Awards.

Adrian Hearn looks at the cars which have played a supporting role in some of celluloid’s biggest successes.

The Rock (1996) - Hummer H1 and Ferrari F355
Sean Connery proved two things in Michael Bay’s action flick: The San Francisco chase in Bullitt was mild, and Hummers really are indestructible. Connery powered down the tectonic streets of San Fran chased by Nicolas Cage in a bright yellow Ferrari.

After smashing down telegraph poles, destroying lorries and ramming a tram, the Hummer got away while the Ferrari met its match – the same tram, which smashed the £100,000 supercar to pieces.

Duel (1971) – 1955 Peterbilt 281 and 1970 Plymouth Valiant
Steven Spielberg’s tense thriller starred Dennis Weaver as a travelling salesman tormented by a deranged truck driver. In his 1970 Plymouth Valiant, Weaver had to try and stay on the road as the rage-incensed Peterbilt trucker tries to ram him of the highway. The face of the trucker is never shown, but according to Spielberg the different number plates on the truck suggests he’s a serial killer.

 

Smokey and the Bandit (1977) – Pontiac Firebird 
The Firebird stole the show from Burt Reynolds in this Seventies comedy. As the Bandit, Reynolds and his truck-driving sidekick had to transport bootleg beer from Georgia to Texas. The deafening V8 of the Firebird seemed to possess an endless amount of power as it gave police the runaround through five states. It became such a star that annual sales of the Firebird went from 68,745 in 1977 to 117,108 in 1979.

Wayne’s World (1992) - AMC Pacer
Mike Myers’ cult comedy is rammed with moments of melodic magic including four wannabe rock stars and one very drunk man singing Bohemian Rhapsody in an AMC Pacer. Dana Carvey, who played Wayne’s not-so-bright sidekick Garth was reportedly unhappy at the scene – because he didn’t know the words to the song and spent most of the rendition miming.

Bad Boys (1995) - Porsche 911
Chasing a villain in an AC Superblower muscle car is a tough test - unless you’re in a Porsche 911. Cue expletives, explosives and Will Smith. “Seems like that gunshot wound has improved your driving skills,” says Mike (Smith) to Marcus (Martin Lawrence) in the classic copcom.

Ronin (1998) – Peugeot 406
The ultimate car chase. A BMW 5-Series driven by Natasha McElhone against a Peugeot 406 driven by Robert De Niro through the centre of Paris. More than 80 cars were wrecked as the two motors tore the Gallic capital apart in the high-octane drama. The chase resulted in victory for France as the Bavarian motor ended up crashing off an unfinished flyover.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000) - Various
Guy Ritchie became the Don of British crime flicks at the turn of the century with his sharp-witted, star-studded gangster films. But his films also included a dazzling collection of retro motors.

Here’s are some the motors used in Lock, Stock and Snatch: 1980s Ford Transit, Ford Escort RS2000, Rover P6, Mini Clubman, Ford Cortina, Ford Granada estate, Range Rover, Rover SD1, Jaguar Sovereign, BMW 5-Series and an AC Cobra.

Training Day (2001) – 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Denzel Washington won the Best Actor Oscar in 2001 for his role as potty-mouthed bent cop Alonzo Harris in Antoine Fuqua’s LA-based drama.

“So where’s the office?” “You in the office, baby.” Harris’s 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was the choice of transport for his treks around LA’s gang-immersed streets with rookie cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke). The jet-black lowrider was fitted with Dayton wire wheels, a Flowmaster exhaust and hydraulic suspension.

The Bourne Identity (2002) - Mini
With Paul Oakenfold’s Ready, Steady, Go beaming as the scene’s score, The Bourne Identity’s Mini chase gives The Italian Job a run for its money. Jason Bourne takes the little car through the Parisian streets – leaving behind a trail of carnage.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - Volkswagen Type 2 Campervan
Despite having a small budget, the light-hearted comedy has raked in millions at the box office. It’s tipped for Oscar glory this year, having received four nominations. The Campervan – of which five identical models were used for filming - plays a key role in the film, transporting the dysfunctional family on a road trip to the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in California.

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